50 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Governor of the united provinces, gave his consent to proceeding wiih 

 the buildings, and the opening of university work' under temporary 

 arrangements in the old Parliament Buildings on Front street. 



In asking His Excellency's assent to this step, Dr. Strachan, now 

 Bishop of Toronto, revealed the new course of his university policy. He 

 says : — " The Church of Scotland and its members in the province were 

 among the earliest and most strenuous assailants of the Eoyal Charter 

 of King's College, as unfriendly to civil liberty and unjust and inexpe- 

 dient in its provisions. They were warmly supported by large bodies of 

 the Methodist Society. And no sooner had these two religious societies 

 succeeded in compelling such an alteration of the charter as wholly 

 deprives King's College of any acknowledged religious character and 

 consequently of any security in respect to the religious doctrines which 

 may be taught there, than they set themselves actively and successfully to 

 work in obtaining from the Government and from the Legislature char- 

 ters for the foundation of two colleges, in such strict ancl exclusive con- 

 nection with their respective religious denominations, that, not only the 

 government of each college, but the whole business of instruction to be 

 carried on within it is required to be absolutely in the hands of those 

 who declare and subscribe themselves members of the one religious socie- 

 ty; and, your Excellency will perceive, in so decided a manner that, not 

 the members of such church only, but the clerical memljers of it shall 

 control and govern the whole." 



In another paragraph, Bishop Strachan dwells with justifiable pride 

 upon the beauty of the site of King's College : " There is nowhere upon 

 this continent anything of the same kind superior to it, and I doubt if 

 there is anything equal to it." The plans for the buildings, of which 

 there were two complete sets bear witness to the fine taste and large ideas 

 of Dr. Strachan ; they are imposing in effect, and classical in design, — a 

 credit alike to the architect and the council. 



We have now arrived at the beginning of the year 1843. Bishop 

 Strachan lost no time in carrying his views into effect. Fresh energy- 

 was introduced into the council in the person of the Rev. H. J. Grasett, 

 M.A. The financial accounts showed available funds to the amount of 

 £45,348 Anth £28,843 coming due. Lands yielded a rent roll of £2,453 

 and the total net income was £7,740. There were 20,800 acres of 

 land neither leased nor sold. It was therefore resolved to bring the uni- 

 versity at once into operation. Application was made for the temporary 

 use of the Parliament Buildings, as the seat of government had been 

 removed to Kingston. An estimate was submitted proposing the expen- 

 diture in four years of £18,000 for buildings, which, with the royal 

 «^rant of £1.000 a year, was expected to cover the cost of the erection of 



